Declaring an independent southern Yemeni state would pave the way for entering the Abraham Accords, the deputy chairman of Yemen's Presidential Council Aidarous Al Zubaidi told The National in an interview.
The president of the Southern Transitional Council said all the conditions were in place for statehood and added that secession would allow the south to make its own foreign policy decisions, including the option of joining the Abraham Accords.
“Before the events in Gaza, we were advancing towards joining the Abraham Accords,” he said. “If Gaza and Palestine regain their rights, the Accords will be essential for stability in the region. When we have our southern state, we will make our own decisions and I believe we will be part of these accords.”
Israel has repeatedly attacked Yemen in air strikes on Houthi militants, notably in the rebel-held capital Sanaa and the port of Hodeidah. The Houthis regularly fire missiles at Israel, achieving a relatively rare hit on Wednesday when a drone fell in the city of Eilat.
Yemen's eight-member Presidential Council leads the anti-Houthi, internationally recognised government in exile in Aden. The secessionist Southern Transitional Council holds three of those eight seats.
Mr Al Zubaidi spoke to The National in New York as the UN General Assembly meets, with the Middle East high on the agenda. A group of aid workers called on leaders to take "urgent and decisive action" to address a humanitarian crisis in Yemen after years of conflict.
Mr Al Zubaidi stressed that southerners in Yemen see themselves as ready for independence. “The south is liberated and we are protecting our borders,” he said. “Politically and geopolitically, we are ready. We only need to announce independence and for others to recognise us”.
He argued that independence would not only isolate the Houthis in the north but also provide clarity for international partners.
“As the situation becomes more complicated, we feel we could announce [independence] at any time. Southerners already control their land, the army and the police are there,” he explained.
From 1967 until unification in 1990, the country was divided between North Yemen and the socialist People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen in the south. That history, he said, makes the idea of two Yemeni states again neither unusual nor impossible.
“The main challenge is asking our partners to approve our right of self-determination and begin the transition phase,” he said. “We are hopeful that supporting countries will help liberate the north from the Houthis, and the south to gain its independence.”
Peace process 'frozen'
Mr Al Zubaidi described the peace process as stalled. “The peace process has stopped and is frozen," he said. "After the Houthis’ attacks, there is no real prospect. The attacks changed the whole calculus. We are in a state of neither war nor peace."
He welcomed decisions to designate the Houthis as a terrorist group, calling them weakened and isolated.
“The Houthis tried to invest in their regional role by attacking Israel, but their attacks are weak and not impactful,” he said. "They are now in a very weak position, and their actions have only added to the misery of the Yemeni people."
Mr Al Zubaidi acknowledged the economic hardship facing Yemen’s internationally recognised government. With oil making up 70 per cent of the state budget, revenue has been slashed since Houthi strikes on export facilities.
“The Prime Minister and the government are trying their best but the situation is very difficult and very expensive,” he said. “We need serious efforts to restart exports again, so we can improve conditions for our people.”
He credited Saudi Arabia and the UAE with keeping the economy afloat. “They have provided a lot over the years, financially and in energy. Without their help, everything would have collapsed."
On security, he highlighted the challenges of Yemen’s southern coastline. “We are trying to maintain security with what we have, but the main challenge is confronting extremist cells,” he said. “The coast is very long, and there is migration and narcotics smuggling. Many countries are helping us but the plans to improve border security are very limited.”
Mr Al Zubaidi framed independence not just as a local aspiration but as part of a wider commitment to stability in the region. “We support the two-state solution – a Yemeni state in the north and in the south – and a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” he said. “Self-determination is a right. All people have the right to determine their future.”
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SUZUME
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Day 2, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Pakistan’s effort in the field had hints of shambles about it. The wheels were officially off when Wahab Riaz lost his run up and aborted the delivery four times in a row. He re-measured his run, jogged in for two practice goes. Then, when he was finally ready to go, he bailed out again. It was a total cringefest.
Stat of the day – 139.5 Yasir Shah has bowled 139.5 overs in three innings so far in this Test series. Judged by his returns, the workload has not withered him. He has 14 wickets so far, and became history’s first spinner to take five-wickets in an innings in five consecutive Tests. Not bad for someone whose fitness was in question before the series.
The verdict Stranger things have happened, but it is going to take something extraordinary for Pakistan to keep their undefeated record in Test series in the UAE in tact from this position. At least Shan Masood and Sami Aslam have made a positive start to the salvage effort.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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